| 1. A.L.R. These are the 
												symbols (or Verses) of the 
												perspicuous Book.
 2. We have sent it down as an 
												Arabic Qur'an, in order that ye 
												may learn wisdom.
 
 3. We do relate unto thee the 
												most beautiful of stories, in 
												that We reveal to thee this 
												(portion of the) Qur'an: before 
												this, thou too was among those 
												who knew it not.
 
 4. Behold! Joseph said to his 
												father: "O my father! I did see 
												eleven stars and the sun and the 
												moon: I saw them prostrate 
												themselves to me!"
 
 5. Said (the father): "My (dear) 
												little son! relate not thy 
												vision to thy brothers, lest 
												they concoct a plot against 
												thee: for Satan is to man an 
												avowed enemy!
 
 6. "Thus will thy Lord choose 
												thee and teach thee the 
												interpretation of stories (and 
												events) and perfect His favour 
												to thee and to the posterity of 
												Jacob - even as He perfected it 
												to thy fathers Abraham and Isaac 
												aforetime! for Allah is full of 
												knowledge and wisdom."
 
 7. Verily in Joseph and his 
												brethren are signs (or symbols) 
												for seekers (after Truth).
 
 8. They said: "Truly Joseph and 
												his brother are loved more by 
												our father than we: But we are a 
												goodly body! really our father 
												is obviously wandering (in his 
												mind)!
 
 9. "Slay ye Joseph or cast him 
												out to some (unknown) land, that 
												so the favour of your father may 
												be given to you alone: (there 
												will be time enough) for you to 
												be righteous after that!"
 
 10. Said one of them: "Slay not 
												Joseph, but if ye must do 
												something, throw him down to the 
												bottom of the well: he will be 
												picked up by some caravan of 
												travellers."
 
 11. They said: "O our father! 
												why dost thou not trust us with 
												Joseph,- seeing we are indeed 
												his sincere well-wishers?
 
 12. "Send him with us tomorrow 
												to enjoy himself and play, and 
												we shall take every care of 
												him."
 
 13. (Jacob) said: "Really it 
												saddens me that ye should take 
												him away: I fear lest the wolf 
												should devour him while ye 
												attend not to him."
 
 14. They said: "If the wolf were 
												to devour him while we are (so 
												large) a party, then should we 
												indeed (first) have perished 
												ourselves!"
 
 15. So they did take him away, 
												and they all agreed to throw him 
												down to the bottom of the well: 
												and We put into his heart (this 
												Message): 'Of a surety thou 
												shalt (one day) tell them the 
												truth of this their affair while 
												they know (thee) not'
 
 16. Then they came to their 
												father in the early part of the 
												night, weeping.
 
 17. They said: "O our father! We 
												went racing with one another, 
												and left Joseph with our things; 
												and the wolf devoured him.... 
												But thou wilt never believe us 
												even though we tell the truth."
 
 18. They stained his shirt with 
												false blood. He said: "Nay, but 
												your minds have made up a tale 
												(that may pass) with you, (for 
												me) patience is most fitting: 
												Against that which ye assert, it 
												is Allah (alone) Whose help can 
												be sought"..
 
 19. Then there came a caravan of 
												travellers: they sent their 
												water-carrier (for water), and 
												he let down his bucket (into the 
												well)...He said: "Ah there! Good 
												news! Here is a (fine) young 
												man!" So they concealed him as a 
												treasure! But Allah knoweth well 
												all that they do!
 
 20. The (Brethren) sold him for 
												a miserable price, for a few 
												dirhams counted out: in such low 
												estimation did they hold him!
 
 21. The man in Egypt who bought 
												him, said to his wife: "Make his 
												stay (among us) honourable: may 
												be he will bring us much good, 
												or we shall adopt him as a son." 
												Thus did We establish Joseph in 
												the land, that We might teach 
												him the interpretation of 
												stories (and events). And Allah 
												hath full power and control over 
												His affairs; but most among 
												mankind know it not.
 
 22. When Joseph attained His 
												full manhood, We gave him power 
												and knowledge: thus do We reward 
												those who do right.
 
 23. But she in whose house he 
												was, sought to seduce him from 
												his (true) self: she fastened 
												the doors, and said: "Now come, 
												thou (dear one)!" He said: 
												"(Allah) forbid! truly (thy 
												husband) is my lord! he made my 
												sojourn agreeable! truly to no 
												good come those who do wrong!"
 
 24. And (with passion) did she 
												desire him, and he would have 
												desired her, but that he saw the 
												evidence of his Lord: thus (did 
												We order) that We might turn 
												away from him (all) evil and 
												shameful deeds: for he was one 
												of Our servants, sincere and 
												purified.
 
 25. So they both raced each 
												other to the door, and she tore 
												his shirt from the back: they 
												both found her lord near the 
												door. She said: "What is the 
												(fitting) punishment for one who 
												formed an evil design against 
												thy wife, but prison or a 
												grievous chastisement?"
 
 26. He said: "It was she that 
												sought to seduce me - from my 
												(true) self." And one of her 
												household saw (this) and bore 
												witness, (thus):- "If it be that 
												his shirt is rent from the 
												front, then is her tale true, 
												and he is a liar!
 
 27. "But if it be that his shirt 
												is torn from the back, then is 
												she the liar, and he is telling 
												the truth!"
 
 28. So when he saw his shirt,- 
												that it was torn at the back,- 
												(her husband) said: "Behold! It 
												is a snare of you women! truly, 
												mighty is your snare!
 
 29. "O Joseph, pass this over! 
												(O wife), ask forgiveness for 
												thy sin, for truly thou hast 
												been at fault!"
 
 30. Ladies said in the City: 
												"The wife of the (great) 'Aziz 
												is seeking to seduce her slave 
												from his (true) self: Truly hath 
												he inspired her with violent 
												love: we see she is evidently 
												going astray."
 
 31. When she heard of their 
												malicious talk, she sent for 
												them and prepared a banquet for 
												them: she gave each of them a 
												knife: and she said (to Joseph), 
												"Come out before them." When 
												they saw him, they did extol 
												him, and (in their amazement) 
												cut their hands: they said, 
												"(Allah) preserve us! no mortal 
												is this! this is none other than 
												a noble angel!"
 
 32. She said: "There before you 
												is the man about whom ye did 
												blame me! I did seek to seduce 
												him from his (true) self but he 
												did firmly save himself 
												guiltless!....and now, if he 
												doth not my bidding, he shall 
												certainly be cast into prison, 
												and (what is more) be of the 
												company of the vilest!"
 
 33. He said: "O my Lord! the 
												prison is more to my liking than 
												that to which they invite me: 
												Unless Thou turn away their 
												snare from me, I should (in my 
												youthful folly) feel inclined 
												towards them and join the ranks 
												of the ignorant."
 
 34. So his Lord hearkened to him 
												(in his prayer), and turned away 
												from him their snare: Verily He 
												heareth and knoweth (all 
												things).
 
 35. Then it occurred to the men, 
												after they had seen the signs, 
												(that it was best) to imprison 
												him for a time.
 
 36. Now with him there came into 
												the prison two young men. Said 
												one of them: "I see myself (in a 
												dream) pressing wine." said the 
												other: "I see myself (in a 
												dream) carrying bread on my 
												head, and birds are eating, 
												thereof." "Tell us" (they said) 
												"The truth and meaning thereof: 
												for we see thou art one that 
												doth good (to all)."
 
 37. He said: "Before any food 
												comes (in due course) to feed 
												either of you, I will surely 
												reveal to you the truth and 
												meaning of this ere it befall 
												you: that is part of the (duty) 
												which my Lord hath taught me. I 
												have (I assure you) abandoned 
												the ways of a people that 
												believe not in Allah and that 
												(even) deny the Hereafter.
 
 38. "And I follow the ways of my 
												fathers,- Abraham, Isaac, and 
												Jacob; and never could we 
												attribute any partners whatever 
												to Allah. that (comes) of the 
												grace of Allah to us and to 
												mankind: yet most men are not 
												grateful.
 
 39. "O my two companions of the 
												prison! (I ask you): are many 
												lords differing among themselves 
												better, or the One Allah, 
												Supreme and Irresistible?
 
 40. "If not Him, ye worship 
												nothing but names which ye have 
												named,- ye and your fathers,- 
												for which Allah hath sent down 
												no authority: the command is for 
												none but Allah. He hath 
												commanded that ye worship none 
												but Him: that is the right 
												religion, but most men 
												understand not...
 
 41. "O my two companions of the 
												prison! As to one of you, he 
												will pour out the wine for his 
												lord to drink: as for the other, 
												he will hang from the cross, and 
												the birds will eat from off his 
												head. (so) hath been decreed 
												that matter whereof ye twain do 
												enquire"...
 
 42. And of the two, to that one 
												whom he consider about to be 
												saved, he said: "Mention me to 
												thy lord." But Satan made him 
												forget to mention him to his 
												lord: and (Joseph) lingered in 
												prison a few (more) years.
 
 43. The king (of Egypt) said: "I 
												do see (in a vision) seven fat 
												kine, whom seven lean ones 
												devour, and seven green ears of 
												corn, and seven (others) 
												withered. O ye chiefs! Expound 
												to me my vision if it be that ye 
												can interpret visions."
 
 44. They said: "A confused 
												medley of dreams: and we are not 
												skilled in the interpretation of 
												dreams."
 
 45. But the man who had been 
												released, one of the two (who 
												had been in prison) and who now 
												bethought him after (so long) a 
												space of time, said: "I will 
												tell you the truth of its 
												interpretation: send ye me 
												(therefore)."
 
 46. "O Joseph!" (he said) "O man 
												of truth! Expound to us (the 
												dream) of seven fat kine whom 
												seven lean ones devour, and of 
												seven green ears of corn and 
												(seven) others withered: that I 
												may return to the people, and 
												that they may understand."
 
 47. (Joseph) said: "For seven 
												years shall ye diligently sow as 
												is your wont: and the harvests 
												that ye reap, ye shall leave 
												them in the ear,- except a 
												little, of which ye shall eat.
 
 48. "Then will come after that 
												(period) seven dreadful (years), 
												which will devour what ye shall 
												have laid by in advance for 
												them,- (all) except a little 
												which ye shall have (specially) 
												guarded.
 
 49. "Then will come after that 
												(period) a year in which the 
												people will have abundant water, 
												and in which they will press 
												(wine and oil)."
 
 50. So the king said: "Bring ye 
												him unto me." But when the 
												messenger came to him, (Joseph) 
												said: "Go thou back to thy lord, 
												and ask him, 'What is the state 
												of mind of the ladies who cut 
												their hands'? For my Lord is 
												certainly well aware of their 
												snare."
 
 51. (The king) said (to the 
												ladies): "What was your affair 
												when ye did seek to seduce 
												Joseph from his (true) self?" 
												The ladies said: "(Allah) 
												preserve us! no evil know we 
												against him!" Said the 'Aziz's 
												wife: "Now is the truth manifest 
												(to all): it was I who sought to 
												seduce him from his (true) self: 
												He is indeed of those who are 
												(ever) true (and virtuous).
 
 52. "This (say I), in order that 
												He may know that I have never 
												been false to him in his 
												absence, and that Allah will 
												never guide the snare of the 
												false ones.
 
 53. "Nor do I absolve my own 
												self (of blame): the (human) 
												soul is certainly prone to evil, 
												unless my Lord do bestow His 
												Mercy: but surely my Lord is 
												Oft- forgiving, Most Merciful."
 
 54. So the king said: "Bring him 
												unto me; I will take him 
												specially to serve about my own 
												person." Therefore when he had 
												spoken to him, he said: "Be 
												assured this day, thou art, 
												before our own presence, with 
												rank firmly established, and 
												fidelity fully proved!
 
 55. (Joseph) said: "Set me over 
												the store-houses of the land: I 
												will indeed guard them, as one 
												that knows (their importance)."
 
 56. Thus did We give established 
												power to Joseph in the land, to 
												take possession therein as, 
												when, or where he pleased. We 
												bestow of our Mercy on whom We 
												please, and We suffer not, to be 
												lost, the reward of those who do 
												good.
 
 57. But verily the reward of the 
												Hereafter is the best, for those 
												who believe, and are constant in 
												righteousness.
 
 58. Then came Joseph's brethren: 
												they entered his presence, and 
												he knew them, but they knew him 
												not.
 
 59. And when he had furnished 
												them forth with provisions 
												(suitable) for them, he said: 
												"Bring unto me a brother ye 
												have, of the same father as 
												yourselves, (but a different 
												mother): see ye not that I pay 
												out full measure, and that I do 
												provide the best hospitality?
 
 60. "Now if ye bring him not to 
												me, ye shall have no measure (of 
												corn) from me, nor shall ye 
												(even) come near me."
 
 61. They said: "We shall 
												certainly seek to get our wish 
												about him from his father: 
												Indeed we shall do it."
 
 62. And (Joseph) told his 
												servants to put their 
												stock-in-trade (with which they 
												had bartered) into their 
												saddle-bags, so they should know 
												it only when they returned to 
												their people, in order that they 
												might come back.
 
 63. Now when they returned to 
												their father, they said: "O our 
												father! No more measure of grain 
												shall we get (unless we take our 
												brother): So send our brother 
												with us, that we may get our 
												measure; and we will indeed take 
												every care of him."
 
 64. He said: "Shall I trust you 
												with him with any result other 
												than when I trusted you with his 
												brother aforetime? But Allah is 
												the best to take care (of him), 
												and He is the Most Merciful of 
												those who show mercy!"
 
 65. Then when they opened their 
												baggage, they found their 
												stock-in-trade had been returned 
												to them. They said: "O our 
												father! What (more) can we 
												desire? this our stock-in-trade 
												has been returned to us: so we 
												shall get (more) food for our 
												family; We shall take care of 
												our brother; and add (at the 
												same time) a full camel's load 
												(of grain to our provisions). 
												This is but a small quantity.
 
 66. (Jacob) said: "Never will I 
												send him with you until ye swear 
												a solemn oath to me, in Allah.s 
												name, that ye will be sure to 
												bring him back to me unless ye 
												are yourselves hemmed in (and 
												made powerless). And when they 
												had sworn their solemn oath, he 
												said: "Over all that we say, be 
												Allah the witness and guardian!"
 
 67. Further he said: "O my sons! 
												enter not all by one gate: enter 
												ye by different gates. Not that 
												I can profit you aught against 
												Allah (with my advice): None can 
												command except Allah. On Him do 
												I put my trust: and let all that 
												trust put their trust on Him."
 
 68. And when they entered in the 
												manner their father had 
												enjoined, it did not profit them 
												in the least against (the plan 
												of) Allah. It was but a 
												necessity of Jacob's soul, which 
												he discharged. For he was, by 
												our instruction, full of 
												knowledge (and experience): but 
												most men know not.
 
 69. Now when they came into 
												Joseph's presence, he received 
												his (full) brother to stay with 
												him. He said (to him): "Behold! 
												I am thy (own) brother; so 
												grieve not at aught of their 
												doings."
 
 70. At length when he had 
												furnished them forth with 
												provisions (suitable) for them, 
												he put the drinking cup into his 
												brother's saddle-bag. Then 
												shouted out a crier: "O ye (in) 
												the caravan! behold! ye are 
												thieves, without doubt!"
 
 71. They said, turning towards 
												them: "What is it that ye miss?"
 
 72. They said: "We miss the 
												great beaker of the king; for 
												him who produces it, is (the 
												reward of) a camel load; I will 
												be bound by it."
 
 73. (The brothers) said: "By 
												Allah. well ye know that we came 
												not to make mischief in the 
												land, and we are no thieves!"
 
 74. (The Egyptians) said: "What 
												then shall be the penalty of 
												this, if ye are (proved) to have 
												lied?"
 
 75. They said: "The penalty 
												should be that he in whose 
												saddle-bag it is found, should 
												be held (as bondman) to atone 
												for the (crime). Thus it is we 
												punish the wrong- doers!"
 
 76. So he began (the search) 
												with their baggage, before (he 
												came to) the baggage of his 
												brother: at length he brought it 
												out of his brother's baggage. 
												Thus did We plan for Joseph. He 
												could not take his brother by 
												the law of the king except that 
												Allah willed it (so). We raise 
												to degrees (of wisdom) whom We 
												please: but over all endued with 
												knowledge is one, the 
												All-Knowing.
 
 77. They said: "If he steals, 
												there was a brother of his who 
												did steal before (him)." But 
												these things did Joseph keep 
												locked in his heart, revealing 
												not the secrets to them. He 
												(simply) said (to himself): "Ye 
												are the worse situated; and 
												Allah knoweth best the truth of 
												what ye assert!"
 
 78. They said: "O exalted one! 
												Behold! he has a father, aged 
												and venerable, (who will grieve 
												for him); so take one of us in 
												his place; for we see that thou 
												art (gracious) in doing good."
 
 79. He said: "(Allah) forbid 
												that we take other than him with 
												whom we found our property: 
												indeed (if we did so), we should 
												be acting wrongfully.
 
 80. Now when they saw no hope of 
												his (yielding), they held a 
												conference in private. The 
												leader among them said: "Know ye 
												not that your father did take an 
												oath from you in Allah.s name, 
												and how, before this, ye did 
												fail in your duty with Joseph? 
												Therefore will I not leave this 
												land until my father permits me, 
												or Allah commands me; and He is 
												the best to command.
 
 81. "Turn ye back to your 
												father, and say, 'O our father! 
												behold! thy son committed theft! 
												we bear witness only to what we 
												know, and we could not well 
												guard against the unseen!
 
 82. "'Ask at the town where we 
												have been and the caravan in 
												which we returned, and (you will 
												find) we are indeed telling the 
												truth.'"
 
 83. Jacob said: "Nay, but ye 
												have yourselves contrived a 
												story (good enough) for you. So 
												patience is most fitting (for 
												me). Maybe Allah will bring them 
												(back) all to me (in the end). 
												For He is indeed full of 
												knowledge and wisdom."
 
 84. And he turned away from 
												them, and said: "How great is my 
												grief for Joseph!" And his eyes 
												became white with sorrow, and he 
												fell into silent melancholy.
 
 85. They said: "By Allah. 
												(never) wilt thou cease to 
												remember Joseph until thou reach 
												the last extremity of illness, 
												or until thou die!"
 
 86. He said: "I only complain of 
												my distraction and anguish to 
												Allah, and I know from Allah 
												that which ye know not...
 
 87. "O my sons! go ye and 
												enquire about Joseph and his 
												brother, and never give up hope 
												of Allah.s Soothing Mercy: truly 
												no one despairs of Allah.s 
												Soothing Mercy, except those who 
												have no faith."
 
 88. Then, when they came (back) 
												into (Joseph's) presence they 
												said: "O exalted one! distress 
												has seized us and our family: we 
												have (now) brought but scanty 
												capital: so pay us full measure, 
												(we pray thee), and treat it as 
												charity to us: for Allah doth 
												reward the charitable."
 
 89. He said: "Know ye how ye 
												dealt with Joseph and his 
												brother, not knowing (what ye 
												were doing)?"
 
 90. They said: "Art thou indeed 
												Joseph?" He said, "I am Joseph, 
												and this is my brother: Allah 
												has indeed been gracious to us 
												(all): behold, he that is 
												righteous and patient,- never 
												will Allah suffer the reward to 
												be lost, of those who do right."
 
 91. They said: "By Allah. indeed 
												has Allah preferred thee above 
												us, and we certainly have been 
												guilty of sin!"
 
 92. He said: "This day let no 
												reproach be (cast) on you: Allah 
												will forgive you, and He is the 
												Most Merciful of those who show 
												mercy!
 
 93. "Go with this my shirt, and 
												cast it over the face of my 
												father: he will come to see 
												(clearly). Then come ye (here) 
												to me together with all your 
												family."
 
 94. When the caravan left 
												(Egypt), their father said: "I 
												do indeed scent the presence of 
												Joseph: Nay, think me not a 
												dotard."
 
 95. They said: "By Allah. truly 
												thou art in thine old wandering 
												mind."
 
 96. Then when the bearer of the 
												good news came, He cast (the 
												shirt) over his face, and he 
												forthwith regained clear sight. 
												He said: "Did I not say to you, 
												'I know from Allah that which ye 
												know not?'"
 
 97. They said: "O our father! 
												ask for us forgiveness for our 
												sins, for we were truly at 
												fault."
 
 98. He said: "Soon will I ask my 
												Lord for forgiveness for you: 
												for he is indeed Oft-Forgiving, 
												Most Merciful."
 
 99. Then when they entered the 
												presence of Joseph, he provided 
												a home for his parents with 
												himself, and said: "Enter ye 
												Egypt (all) in safety if it 
												please Allah."
 
 100. And he raised his parents 
												high on the throne (of dignity), 
												and they fell down in 
												prostration, (all) before him. 
												He said: "O my father! this is 
												the fulfilment of my vision of 
												old! Allah hath made it come 
												true! He was indeed good to me 
												when He took me out of prison 
												and brought you (all here) out 
												of the desert, (even) after 
												Satan had sown enmity between me 
												and my brothers. Verily my Lord 
												understandeth best the mysteries 
												of all that He planneth to do, 
												for verily He is full of 
												knowledge and wisdom.
 
 101. "O my Lord! Thou hast 
												indeed bestowed on me some 
												power, and taught me something 
												of the interpretation of dreams 
												and events,- O Thou Creator of 
												the heavens and the earth! Thou 
												art my Protector in this world 
												and in the Hereafter. Take Thou 
												my soul (at death) as one 
												submitting to Thy will (as a 
												Muslim), and unite me with the 
												righteous."
 
 102. Such is one of the stories 
												of what happened unseen, which 
												We reveal by inspiration unto 
												thee; nor wast thou (present) 
												with them then when they 
												concerted their plans together 
												in the process of weaving their 
												plots.
 
 103. Yet no faith will the 
												greater part of mankind have, 
												however ardently thou dost 
												desire it.
 
 104. And no reward dost thou ask 
												of them for this: it is no less 
												than a message for all 
												creatures.
 
 105. And how many Signs in the 
												heavens and the earth do they 
												pass by? Yet they turn (their 
												faces) away from them!
 
 106. And most of them believe 
												not in Allah without associating 
												(other as partners) with Him!
 
 107. Do they then feel secure 
												from the coming against them of 
												the covering veil of the wrath 
												of Allah,- or of the coming 
												against them of the (final) Hour 
												all of a sudden while they 
												perceive not?
 
 108. Say thou: "This is my way: 
												I do invite unto Allah,- on 
												evidence clear as the seeing 
												with one's eyes,- I and whoever 
												follows me. Glory to Allah. and 
												never will I join gods with 
												Allah."
 
 109. Nor did We send before thee 
												(as apostles) any but men, whom 
												we did inspire,- (men) living in 
												human habitations. Do they not 
												travel through the earth, and 
												see what was the end of those 
												before them? But the home of the 
												hereafter is best, for those who 
												do right. Will ye not then 
												understand?
 
 110. (Respite will be granted) 
												until, when the apostles give up 
												hope (of their people) and (come 
												to) think that they were treated 
												as liars, there reaches them Our 
												help, and those whom We will are 
												delivered into safety. But never 
												will be warded off our 
												punishment from those who are in 
												sin.
 
 111. There is, in their stories, 
												instruction for men endued with 
												understanding. It is not a tale 
												invented, but a confirmation of 
												what went before it,- a detailed 
												exposition of all things, and a 
												guide and a mercy to any such as 
												believe.
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